CULTURE

Latest News

• Artist Zehra Doğan wins Carol Rama Prize 

  Kurdish artist Zehra Doğan has been awarded the Carol Rama Prize by the Artissima art fair. With this, the jury honored Doğan's interpretation of the “ideal of unconventional female creativity and artistic freedom”.
• Author Nezir Çakan jailed in Kobanê trial 

  Book author Nezir Çakan has been arrested in Ankara. The chairman of the Kurdish writers' association "Komeleya Wêjekarên Kurd" is accused of participating in the Kobanê protests in the fall of 2014.
• Artists in Istanbul protest Covid measures and lack of proposals 

  Protesting the restrictions on art activities and events imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic, artists in Istanbul held a silent protest in Mis Street, in Taksim.
• Flutist Nergiz claims women's role in art throughout history 

  Side-blown flutist Irem Nergiz said that women have been a part of art throughout history and added: "Women have been a source of inspiration for art for centuries.”
• Ali Elias Nasir elected new spiritual leader of the Yazidis 

  The "High Council of Yazidis" has appointed Ali Elias Nasir as the new spiritual leader of the Yazidi community. The 41-year-old thus succeeds Bavê Şêx Xurto Hecî Îsmaîl, who died in October.
• Play by Dario Fo banned in Urfa 

  After Istanbul, the Kurdish interpretation of the play "Mockery of Fear" by Dario Fo has also been banned in Urfa.
• PKK Cultural Committee appeals to artists 

  The Cultural Committee of PKK calls on artists to fight together against the threatening occupation of Southern Kurdistan by Turkey and appeals to the KDP to give up collaboration with the occupiers.
• New York Kurdish Film Festival online until Sunday 

  The fourth edition of the Kurdish Film and Cultural Festival of New York had its opening on Friday. It is an online edition due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Şerzan Kurt Story Competition Awards announced 

  The results of the Şerzan Kurt Story Award Competition have been announced.
• Guerrillas release new song for Cenga Heftanin 

  Fighters from the female guerilla force YJA-Star has released a new music video. The clip shows beautiful scenes from the resistance against the Turkish occupation in the Heftanin.
• Murat Demir: I am a servant to Kurdish music 

  Musician Murat Demir sings Kurdish tunes that are about to be forgotten. He does so to counter cultural assimilation and describes himself as a 'servant' to Kurdish music.
• Kurdish filmmaker gets prison sentence for documentary on Rojava 

  Kurdish filmmaker Kutbettin Cebe has been sentenced to over 2 years in prison for "terrorist propaganda" on the basis of his documentary "Roza - The Land of Two Rivers" about the Rojava revolution.
• Record number of people enrolling in Kurdish lessons online 

  Kurdish lessons introduced by the Istanbul Kurdish Institute draw considerable interest from students.  The Institute has a capacity of 600 course attendees and plans to increase it in the coming days for the autumn term.
• Aryen Art Atelier, a place to counter cultural assimilation 

  The culture and arts tradition that started in North Kurdistan under the leadership of the Mesopotamia Cultural Center (MKM) continues in Van with the Aryen Art Atelier.
• Bor Seyit, the oldest bookstore in Raqqa 

  Bor Seyit Bookstore opened in 1957 and is the oldest bookstore in Raqqa. Because of the war in Syria visitors to the bookstore have decreased considerably.
• Anka Cultural Centre continues its battle against assimilation 

  The Anka cultural center in Van has existed for more than 20 years. Its history is shaped by the struggle against war, cultural assimilation and repression through the means of theater, art and music.
• Ji bo Azadiyê wins Bronze Palm in Valencia 

  The film Ji bo Azadiyê won the Bronze Palm at the Valencia Film Festival (La Mostra de Valencia). Director Ersin Çelik and producer Diyar Hesso spoke to ANF about the genesis of the film and the new projects of the Rojava Cinema Commune.
• Ji bo azadiyê reaches cinemas in the Basque Country 

  Ji bo azadiyê (The end will be spectacular) has been in competition at the València Film Festival. Despite the state of alarm declared in the Spanish state, the film continues its tour, landing in the Basque country.
• How did the story of education in Kurdish begin in Rojava? 

  Before the revolution, it was forbidden and the punishment was heavy. But the Kurdish language knights in Rojava defeated the ban. They gave a multi-lingual, multi-colored education to the new generations of the revolution...
• March for mother tongue education in Dirbêsiyê 

  “Our language is our existence, our honor and our freedom," said hundreds of teachers and students who demonstrated in Dirbêsiye district of the Heseke Canton.
• Yazidi artists in Hannover protest Shengal agreement 

  Yazidi artists came together in Hannover in an event promoted to support Shengal. The artists protested the Shengal agreement between the KDP and Baghdad.
• "Sociology of Freedom" by Abdullah Öcalan presented in Dresden 

  The book “Sociology of Freedom” by Abdullah Öcalan was presented in Dresden on Friday evening.
• “Kurdish language is our identity and existence” 

  Kurdish teachers in North and East Syria stated that education in the mother tongue is one of the most important achievements of the Rojava revolution and they will not allow demands seeking to eliminate this gain.
• Cultural institutions need to unite in the planning of festivals  

  A number of cultural festivals are organised in the Jazira region every year. Artists who work in every branch of art, from literature to poetry, painting, folklore and music find the opportunity to show their work in the region.
• Gorani music against assimilation 

  Ferhat Demir, who makes music in Gorani dialect of Kurdish for the first time in Northern Kurdistan, stated that there has been a serious assimilation against Kurdish for years, adding; "My aim is to make people listen to the melodies in other dialects."